Puducherry LG Kiran Bedi withdrew the ‘no toilets, no rice’ diktat, amid huge uproar over decision. However, hours after the diktat created a furore, Bedi reportedly said in a statement that she was “withholding” the order as she wanted to give more time to people to implement it. Notably, the scheme of free rice distribution benefits over half of Puducherry's population.

Kiran Bedi&nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspBCCL

Puducherry: Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday withdrew her controversial order stating the distribution of free rice to villagers in the Union Territory will be stopped if villages are not free from open defecation and garbage, after the diktat triggered a massive row. Opposition parties had slammed the order, with Congress party’s senior leader Randeep Surjewala calling the move “anti-poor” and “dictatorial”. Previously, she had said that the free distribution of rice “shall be conditional to the certification of the village being open defecation free and free of strewn garbage and plastics by submitting a joint certificate given by the MLA and the Commune Commissioner to the Civil Supplies Commissioner.”

However, hours after the diktat created a furore, Bedi reportedly said in a statement that she was “withholding” the order as she wanted to give more time to people to implement it. Bedi had initially the given the deadline as May 31 for concerned authorities to make sure that the hamlets were “open defecation free” and free of garbage. Later, the Puducherry Lt Governor issued a statement and clarified on her previous order stating that she “will protect the interest of the poor.”

As per News18 report, in her statement, she said, The intention of my direction in linking rural Open Defecation and cleanliness with free rice distribution is NOT To DENY any poor persons of their entitlement, since I have already sanctioned and directed to provide quality food grains to needy families. And the department is already in the process of procurement and distribution."

In view of misreading of my intent to improve d living conditions of rural poor & in view of assured commitment that rural areas will be Open defecation free by June 2018,
I have clarified my earlier communications to put at rest any misgivings.Tom shall b my 156, weekend round.

"To avoid misreading of this intention and in view of the forthcoming commitment made by the UT Government that villages in Puducherry will achieve ODF by June end, I am happy to give them some more time. Therefore I am WITHHOLDING my earlier communications," the statement further read.

Earlier, the Congress has slammed the move, calling it "dictatorial". Strongly reacting to her decision, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, “The decision by the Lieutenant Governor to stop ration distribution is very unfortunate. Is this justified? Whether the Congress government shouldn't have the right to allocate ration to the needy. Why is she humiliating the Congress and the state legislature? Why she is taking away the share of the deprived? She should be ashamed of her conduct. If she is doing this, it's not good for the democracy."

Notably, the scheme of free rice distribution benefits over half of Puducherry's population.

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